Oxyacetylene torch for cutting tubes



I. S. REYNOLDS. OXYACETYLENE TORCH FOR CUTTING TUBES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 11, 1919.

1,345,242. v I T v PatentedJune 29,1920.

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UNITED STATES JOY SQREYNOLDS, 0F SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR TO REYNOLDS TORCH MANUFACTURING COMPANY,

P TE T OFFICE.

OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

OXYACETYLENE Toncn ron CUTTING. TUBES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

, PatentedrJune 29, 1920.

Original application filed November 18, 1918, Serial No. 263,084. Divided and this application .flled A ulust 11, 1919a Serial No. 316,886. i

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, JoY' 'S. REYNOLDS, a citizen of the, United States, residin at Seattle, in the county of King andtateof WVashington, have invented a certainnew and useful Improvement in Oxyacetylene Torches for Cutting Tubes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in oxy-acetylene cutting torches of a form that are. adapted for cutting metal tubes, as the fluesof a boiler, and is a division of my application filed Nov. 18, 1918, Serial No. 263,084, in the United States Patent Office, and the object of my invention is to provide a cutting torch that isadapted to be inserted 'within a tube and then rotated to cut off the said-tube. v

A further object of my invention is to provide suitable means for supporting the torch for axial rotation within the tube and means for stopping the torch at the proper point for cutting when it is inserted into the tube. a

A still further object of my invention is to provide a cutting torch having cutting tips that operate simultaneously so .that "when the torch is inserted in a boiler tube the tube may be split in-more than one place from the end inwardly to the point where it is to 'be cut thereby leaving it in such condition that the end fragments will. drop away so soon as they are cut from the tube by rotation of the cutting torch.

My invention consists in the novel construction of a cutting torch that is adapted to be inserted into the end of a boiler tube and in the combination therewith of the novel positioning and centering means hereinafter shown and described.

I accomplish these v objects by devices illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a View partly in longitudinal cross-section and partly in elevation of a cutting torch constructed in accordance with my invention as it may appear when inserted in a boiler tube;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view in cross-section on broken line 2, 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view in cross-sec- 1 illustrating the operation of the cutting In disposing the tubes in boilers it is usually necessary to cut the ends of the tubes preparatory to the final expanding and beading operation. My torch is designed 6 indicates the head plate of the boiler in v which the tube 5 is disposed and from which the end of the tube projects before it is expanded or beaded to form a water tight joint with the plate 6.

My cutting apparatuscomprises a torch head 7 one side of which is secured at a central point to a tube .or pipe 8 and the other side of which issecured at a central point to a shank 10 that is disposed in axial alinement with the. pipe 8 and cooperates therewith to form a support for the torch head 7 so that the same may be rotated about its axis. 7

The shank 10 has two disk-like members 11'and-12 loosely mounted thereon between collars 13' so that the shank 10 may be turned within the members 11 and 12 but cannot be moved lengthwise therein.

The disk-like members 11 and 12 are peripherally flanged as at 14 and each have set screws 15' that project outwardly through the flanges 14 in radial directions, as more clearly shown in Fig. 3, to center the disk-like members 11' and 12 within the tube 5.

Mounted on the pipe 8 between two longitudinally adjustable collars 16 and 17 is a sleeve 18 that is provided with three radiserve as stops or positioning devices that 7 limit the distance that the torch head may be inserted into the tube 5.

The torch head 7 is preferably of rectangular shape and is provided near one end 7 inside of the tube in other than a radial the -' direction.

' The tips 22 and 23 are preferably of the form shown in Fig. 2, and are each'provided with a concentric passageway 24 through which extends a stem 25 of smaller diameter than the passageway 24 throughout the greater portion of its length. l I

The stems 25 are each provided withaxial bores, not shown, and are connected on the exterior 'of the torch heads with the two branches 26 and 27 of an oxygen inletpipe 28 that is disposed within the pipe 8 for the greater part of its length and emerges there from at a point near the; torch head 7, as

shown in Fig. 1.

The mixed gasesenter a central opening 30 in the torch head through the pipe'8 and thence flow through passageways 31 in the torch head and other small passageways 32 in the burner tis'22 and 23 to the annular passageways '24 rom whence they issue from the-burner tips to the point of combustion.

The pipe 8 may terminate in any suitable form of handle, not shown, by which the device may be rotated wit in the boiler tubes and the several as and oxygen inlet pipes may be provided with any standard type of valves of the form commonly used" on oxy-acetylene torches by which the flow of gases may be controlled. p v Vihen the device is to be used the set screws 15 are adjusted so that they will just fit within the tube 5 and will support the torch head 7 for substantially axial rotation therein.

The gage pins 20 are then set so that they will engage the end plate and stop the torch head 7 in the exact position that it is desired to cut off the tube.

After the above adjustments have been made the torch is ready for cutting. The gas and oxygen may then be turned on to produce a cutting flame and the torch head inserted in the tube 5 and rotated in a contraclockwise direction from the position shown in Fig. 2.

As the torch head 7 is inserted into the tube 5 the tube 5 will be split in two different places and when the torch head 7 is rotated through one-half of one complete revolution the end of the tube will be cut off pieces permitted to drop clear the torch in the form of a ring of metal.

.It has been found by experiment that when the torch tips are arranged to direct the cutting flame against the tubein other than a radial direction and the torch is roways advancing toward the thinner edge or the edge which presents an acute angle to the flame, as indicated by the numeral 35 in Fig. 4, a smoother cut will be made'and higher cutting efiiciency obtained than when the flame is directed. radially against the wall of-the tube or when the flame is not directed radially and the torch is rotated in a reverse direction.

tated in such a direction that the flame is al- 7 It is obvious that changes in the forms, 7

1. A device of the class described, comprising a torch. having ahead adapted to be inserted withina tube and means for supporting said torch within said tube whereby said torch may be rotated. p

2. A oxy-acetylene torch for cutting off the ends of boiler tubes comprising a torch head adapted to be inserted withinthe boiler tube, means adapted'to engage with the end plate of the boiler for limiting the distance that the torch head may be moved within the tube and means for supporting said'torch' within the tube.

3. A torch of the class described, compriswhereby said tube may be out ofi in a plane at right angles to its length. I

' ing a torch head provided with a plurality 4. A device of the class described, comprising a torch having a torch head adapted to be inserted within a" tube, a plurality of burner tips provided on said torch head and means for supporting said torch head for rotation on the axis of said tube whereby said torch head may be inserted 'within the end of said tube to split the tube and then rotated to cutofl the tube.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 4th day of August, A. D. 1919.

JOY S. REYNOLDS. 

